


Time

by refusetoshine



Series: Trektober 2020 [7]
Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Age Difference, Canon Compliant, Episode: s07e25-26 All Good Things..., F/M, Introspection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-10
Updated: 2020-10-10
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:48:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26932381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/refusetoshine/pseuds/refusetoshine
Summary: Beverly contemplates the potential loss of Jean-Luc and comes to a decision.An introspective piece set during All Good Things...
Relationships: Beverly Crusher/Jean-Luc Picard
Series: Trektober 2020 [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1953313
Kudos: 21
Collections: Trektober 2020





	Time

**Author's Note:**

> Here is my work for day 9 of [Trektober 2020](http://trektober-challenge.tumblr.com). I went with the Age Difference prompt.
> 
> I find a lot of my OTPs happen to have an age gap. It’s not really something that bugs me too much when both parties are consenting adults, but I know it can be a point of contention. I understand why people don’t feel comfortable with them and I respect their feelings on the topic.
> 
> Anyway, this is a small little introspective piece set during the Ready Room scene in All Good Things (you know which one).

He was nineteen years older than her.

Beverly had never really thought about it before. Consciously, she knew he was older of course, but the age difference between them had never really mattered to her before. It hadn’t been a factor when they’d become friends so long ago and it hadn’t stopped her from falling in love with him.

She _was_ in love with him. Beverly had known it for awhile, but she had been far too afraid to act on it. After being linked telepathically on Kesprytt, she’d learned that he shared the same feelings and had for a long time. Still, her fears of loss had held her back. 

Now Beverly was faced with the potential of losing him again. It was just a tiny spot on an otherwise normal scan, but that spot had devastating consequences. Ones that could start to affect him sooner rather than later. 

Of all the things she could’ve thought of that could happen, never had “degenerative brain condition” come into her mind. It scared Beverly immensely that in a relatively short amount of time, she could lose the man who had become the world to her. 

Still, he was always so optimistic. 

“I prefer to look on the future as something which is not written in stone,” he told her, “A lot of things can happen in twenty five years.”

He was right of course. A lot of things _had_ happened in the past twenty five years, and a lot more could happen in the next twenty five. Beverly realized then that time was a precious commodity. While she statistically had more time left than he did just based on simple average longevity, it really was an unknown variable. She had spent far too long afraid of what could happen. It was time she started taking advantage of the time she had.

Slowly, she leaned in and kissed him. It wasn’t like the last time when she’d told him that they should be afraid. This time, she was telling him that she wasn’t afraid anymore. The kiss was soft but sweet and for Beverly, nothing could have felt more right. They parted and she looked into his shining hazel eyes. They were filled with nothing but love for her.

“A lot of things can happen.”


End file.
